Name That Biosolid: The MWRD Opens Up Naming Contest To Public

Contest deadline is August 30

The Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District in Wisconsin markets their biosolids as "Milorganite." DC Water in Washington, DC recently launched "Bloom." The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Chicago (MWRD) is looking to join these and other sister water agencies in naming the locally-produced products.

Due to recent changes in Illinois law, MWRD biosolids, for the first time, can be made available and sold to the general public. The MWRD produces the biosolids as part of the water treatment process and is turning to the public for help in naming both the Exceptional Quality (EQ) biosolids and EQ biosolids blend that is composted with woodchips.

Contestants are urged to be appropriate but creative. The deadline is August 30, 2016. To submit a name, contact public.affairs@mwrd.org.

"At a time when there is growing scrutiny over fertilizers and pesticides, we are supporting a natural trend that is both resourceful to our environment and also our taxpayers," said MWRD President Mariyana Spyropoulos. "We encourage the public to enter the contest today and have fun knowing they are part of this most interesting and unusual cycle of life."

MWRD biosolids are a high-quality product of the water treatment process that can be recovered and turned into a valuable resource for plants. Air-dried biosolids look like dark, fine-textured topsoil and are a sustainable alternative to chemical fertilizers. Instead of being trucked to a landfill or deposited in waterways like practiced many years ago, the biosolids can be used almost anywhere soil amendments and chemical fertilizers would be used, only more effective and at a fraction of the cost. Golf courses, athletic fields, parks and recreational facilities and agricultural and farm fields have used MWRD biosolids. The biosolids have also been used to restore brownfields and other disturbed lands.

The legislation, which was signed last year by Gov. Bruce Rauner, amends the Illinois Environmental Protection Act (IEPA) to create the new definition of EQ biosolids. The MWRD worked with the IEPA, Illinois Department of Agriculture and several environmental groups to develop the legislation after gaining approval from the US EPA and other environmental regulators. The approval affirms the rigorous testing EQ biosolids have undergone and ensures its safety and effectiveness.

The MWRD reserves discretion in naming this product.

About The Metropolitan Water Reclamation District of Greater Chicago
Established in 1889, the MWRD is an award-winning, special purpose government agency responsible for wastewater treatment and stormwater management in Cook County, Illinois. For more information, visit www.mwrd.org.